I just noticed that there is still another pipe maker opening up in Boston.
After a little research I have discovered that there are now more pipe makers than there are players.
Actually playing the pipes is becoming a lost art, while there is a pipe maker opening shop in every state, I hear that there is one working at Wal-mart. Pipe makers are now selling to each other like antique dealers,
driving the price of pipes through the roof and into the arms of collectors.
There is now a brotherhood of pipe makers, but pipers are becoming a lonely and forgotten lot. I saw a homeless piper the other day and gave him a few bob.
Good one, Pat. I can think of lots of reasons for this, but the thing about pipes is that they need so much maintenance. I see the UP crowd split into two different camps: those who just want to make music, and those who want to make music, but like to spend at least as much time tinkering with their sets. The design of UPs (and possibly other types of pipes, as well) seems to favour the tinkerers. Those who are not so inclined get bogged down in reed problems, leaks, design flaws, etc. where those who love to tinker see this as an advantage.
I like to learn stuff, but admit to be pretty useless with mechanical things. I think there are others with the same affliction. That leaves the door open for there to be lots of pipemakers and reedmakers - people to step into the breach and fix stuff for the mechanically challenged (for a price). I do not feel too bad about this. From what I have read, neither Clancy or Ennis were any good at this stuff either, and would jump at the chance to have someone else make them reeds or put their sets to rights for them.
Starbucks, too…the one by me now offeres Tall (concert pitch), Grande (C) and Venti (B) sets in Arribica (cocobolo), Colombian (walnut), Sulawesi (boxwood) and Yergacheffe (maple).
For hardware they have a Gold Coast Blend (brass) and a Komodo Dragon Blend® (nickel-silver)
They even do spare reeds in Espresso (hard arundo donax), Decaf (soft arundo donax) or Latte (elder)
Seriously the reason that there are more upcoming makers is because UPs are just so expensive and selling things for $1000s is a great way to make money. There are people out there who want to play really badly but cannot afford even the cheapest real practice set available I am one of these people.
about tinkering with the pipes..
I started doing that right away, wrecking reeds like there was no tomorrow, made some very nice ones, that i could happilly wreck again as they were my own.
I love tinkering and i’m pretty good with my hands but..
It suddenly dawned on me, this guy i bought my pipes from, he had been tinkering for 25+ years.
What the hell am i going to reinvent the wheel for?
Now if i have a problem i just go “Pipemaker!!!”
Ok, i do live fairly close to him and we see eachother regularly, else tinkering is the only way to go i guess…
Patrick Murray is starting up again in Boston http://www.uilleannpipeworks.com/ , I really liked my Patrick Murray practice set and they are affordable.
I heard that Apple is about to come out with a special Uilleann Piper’s Ipod edition, loaded with 1000 hours of UP related cds and will sell for 9000 euros.
Oh yeah…and don’t forget about the iPipe sets - they’re similar to the Starbucks sets, but your choice of colors! Unfortunately, they’re all one piece…
I’ve a suggestion. Compulsary castration of all pipemakers. This way only the really motivated (or women) will be able to make pipes. The logic of it is faultless.
It even ties in with my “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone” argument, except it would be more like “Let he who is without stone …”
